KG Turns 10-Second Hellos at the Airport Gate Into Everyday Magic

Photo Credit: Mark Sham via Facebook

Kgomotso ‘KG’ Moloko has a remarkably warm and uplifting way of making a brief 10-second interaction at an airport fast-track gate feel like it truly matters for thousands of travellers every day.

Johannesburg, South Africa (10 September 2026) – A smile, a friendly greeting, and a moment of being seen in the middle of a busy day may seem small in the greater scheme of things, but it matters. And one man stationed at the Discovery Fast Track at OR Tambo International Airport makes it a point to spread this little dose of magic to every boarding passenger.

Those who frequent the fast track line may have likely met Kgomotso ‘KG’ Moloko. He’s the staff member who greets everyone with enthusiastic energy, calling passengers “My CEO” or “My Chairman” and remembering the regulars.

He has a way of making a 10-second interaction at an airport gate feel genuinely meaningful. According to South African entrepreneur Mark Sham, who always looks forward to encountering him, KG has lately been telling travellers that he’s proud of them.

“I’ve known KG since 2023,” Mark shares.

“I’d get to the airport rushing to check in and get through security, and then suddenly you’re greeted by KG. This guy is always ridiculously enthusiastic. What has always struck me is his consistency. In the three years I’ve known him, I have never walked through Fast Track and seen that enthusiasm drop. I get the same KG every single time.”

Moved by KG’s friendly nature and passion, Mark took a moment to learn more about the story behind the man standing on the other side of that gate. Through conversation, he learned that KG grew up in Duduza and at one point sold brooms and mops in the township.

“There were unfinished university journeys, attempts at entrepreneurship, music, and eventually a job working at the Discovery Fast Track entrance at OR Tambo,” Mark says.

Now, KG has written a book titled The Man at the Gate, and Mark has been inspired to pay it forward. Because the smile, friendly greeting and a kind word aren’t just small things; KG has made them remarkable things.

He could do his job perfectly without all the enthusiasm, but as Mark puts it, KG transforms those few seconds with thousands of travellers into something much bigger.

“He’s got to know the regulars, built relationships, and learned from the CEOs, entrepreneurs, and people from all walks of life who pass through that gate. What could have been a mundane part of his working day has effectively become one of the greatest classrooms available to him.”

KG’s book offers a compelling look at what can happen when you take the mundane tasks of daily life and figure out how to turn them to your advantage.

“KG didn’t need some massive opportunity to arrive before he could start doing something differently,” Mark adds.

“He made more of what was already in front of him.”

It is not only food for thought for us all, but a truly inspiring example of the ripple effects created by simply choosing to spread goodness where you are.

Mark, through his social enterprise called Suits & Sneakers, has decided to help KG launch the book and invites the public to the free and official launch of The Man at the Gate on Tuesday, 29 September at The Tryst in Kramerville from 17:00 to 20:00

Stay tuned to Mark’s Facebook page for more details.